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Afternoon Snack: Chocolate! Why It May Help You Get a More Intense Workout

The other day before heading out on a long run, I felt a little hungry, so I grabbed a small handful of almonds and chocolate chips. It might have been the perfect snack, at least according to new research...

Fascinating news: Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, studied epicatechin, a compound found in chocolate. In their study of mice, those that had been fed this chocolate-derived ingredient before hitting the treadmills (yes, they have treadmills for mice) had 50 percent more stamina when exercising (as opposed to rodents who just had water), greater muscle growth/strength, and overall, had improved cellular health.

These findings suggest that a little dark chocolate before working out may help you work harder and get better results (that is, if our bodies respond the same way as mice, and no one really knows the answer to that!).